Due to COVID- 19 & Harambee Art Gallery doing our part to combat the virus, all events having to do with FOTOFEST 2020, festival participations, and any other events where 10 or more can gather are cancelled or postponed until further notice.
Do your part by staying informed at www.cdc.gov , by washing your hands, and by social distancing.
We miss you and hope to be back soon!
Please still reach out to us and if you are interested in purchasing art, send us a message at harambeeartgalleryhtx@gmail.com
Do your part by staying informed at www.cdc.gov , by washing your hands, and by social distancing.
We miss you and hope to be back soon!
Please still reach out to us and if you are interested in purchasing art, send us a message at harambeeartgalleryhtx@gmail.com
ABOUT US
The Harambee Art Gallery is a fine art gallery focused on advancing environmental art by promoting the use of recycled materials in art and design. Founded by Environmental Artist, Charles Washington and Master Educator/Artist, Gail Mebane. The gallery hosts individual artists shows, group shows, classes, and special events.
Since it's inception in 2011, Harambee Art Gallery offers a membership to their Creative Incubator, an immersive artist mentorship program.
Since it's inception in 2011, Harambee Art Gallery offers a membership to their Creative Incubator, an immersive artist mentorship program.
ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Charles Washington
“I see my life as a large canvas of opportunity, so each day I create a masterpiece. My art expresses my feelings about my life and the world around me”
Mr. Washington with one of his recycled art pieces at The Pop Up Place #1
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Charles Washington was born in the Carolinas and is a descendent of the Gullah people. He attended Delaware State College, where he studied Art Education and the fine arts. After a period of time living in New York pursing his goal as a professional artist, he set his eyes on Houston, TX in the late 80s and has lived and worked here for over 30 years. He is a mixed-media visionary and environmental artist whose wide range of techniques and materials defy a single definition. He’s better known as a renaissance man than simply an artist. His body of work includes recycled, functional, and wearable art with 3D work including sculpture, doors, canvas, and one of a kind cards, featuring subjects such as African pastoral, American Jazz, and free-form design. Mr. Washington's’ work is thought provoking and speaks volumes on a variety of cultural, historical, and current subjects.
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In 2008, Mr. Washington embarked on a journey of designing a series of 1,000 doors as a cultural phenomenon and to stimulate discussion on history, music, and a variety of other topics that impact our community and the World. The project, entitled What’s in a Door, reimagines recycled doors as canvases to engage the metaphor of doors as passageways to opportunities. Considered by Houstonians as The Door Man, Mr. Washington has created over 350 unique, original doors and is open to more collaborative, event driven, and commissioned door pieces. Once his goal of 1,000 doors has been met, Mr. Washington will create a cultural timeline maze telling the stories of all of his doors with a Nationwide tour.
Keenly aware of the artist's potential for highlighting important social issues, Mr. Washington co-founded Harambee Art Gallery in 2011 and serves as its Executive Director. Through the gallery, he has established several artistic mentor programs, projects, and exhibitions that serve as platforms to initiate the dialog and mindset necessary for positive advancement in our society. His goal is to create a platform for artists to discover their full potential, creativity, and the joy of environment conscious artistic practices.
Mr. Washington has taken his artistic innovation ‘out of the box’ and has established several spaces to serve as interactive sculpture gardens, venues, galleries, and restorative environmental hang outs. These include the Pop Up Place, est. in 2017 and the Pop Up Place #2, set to open officially in November 2018.
Charles Washington is a visionary and can be found in several diverse settings spreading his love of environmental art, mentoring young artists, curating and being featured in exhibitions, serving on boards and panels for the Midtown Cultural Arts District, Young Audiences of Houston, and the Houston Arts Alliance, and having inspiring conversations with all who come across his path.
Mr. Washington currently resides in 3rd Ward- Houston, has two successful young children and several grandchildren, and can be found at his studio inside of SHAPE Community Center, at one of his Pop Up locations, or ‘breaking ankles’ on the basketball court at Peggy Park
Keenly aware of the artist's potential for highlighting important social issues, Mr. Washington co-founded Harambee Art Gallery in 2011 and serves as its Executive Director. Through the gallery, he has established several artistic mentor programs, projects, and exhibitions that serve as platforms to initiate the dialog and mindset necessary for positive advancement in our society. His goal is to create a platform for artists to discover their full potential, creativity, and the joy of environment conscious artistic practices.
Mr. Washington has taken his artistic innovation ‘out of the box’ and has established several spaces to serve as interactive sculpture gardens, venues, galleries, and restorative environmental hang outs. These include the Pop Up Place, est. in 2017 and the Pop Up Place #2, set to open officially in November 2018.
Charles Washington is a visionary and can be found in several diverse settings spreading his love of environmental art, mentoring young artists, curating and being featured in exhibitions, serving on boards and panels for the Midtown Cultural Arts District, Young Audiences of Houston, and the Houston Arts Alliance, and having inspiring conversations with all who come across his path.
Mr. Washington currently resides in 3rd Ward- Houston, has two successful young children and several grandchildren, and can be found at his studio inside of SHAPE Community Center, at one of his Pop Up locations, or ‘breaking ankles’ on the basketball court at Peggy Park